1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a highback for gliding sports, such as snowboarding, and, more particularly, to a wing-shaped leg support for a highback.
2. Description of the Related Art
Snowboard bindings are employed to mount a boot to a snowboard. Oftentimes, the binding or the boot includes an upright member, called a xe2x80x9chighbackxe2x80x9d (also known as a xe2x80x9clowbackxe2x80x9d and a xe2x80x9cskybackxe2x80x9d), that interacts with a rear portion of a rider""s leg. The highback, whether mounted on the binding or on the boot, acts as a lever that helps transmit forces directly to and from the board, allowing the rider to efficiently control the board through leg movement. For example, flexing one""s legs rearward against the highback places the board on its heel-edge with a corresponding shift in weight and balance acting through the highback to complete a heel-side turn.
Snowboard bindings typically are mounted to a snowboard to allow the rider to select a desired stance angle of the binding relative to the board. Specifically, the angle between the midline of the binding and the midline of the snowboard can be altered for different riding styles, such as trick riding, backcountry riding or simple traveling, and for different riders and riding preferences. The stance angle may range from 0xc2x0 to 45xc2x0 or more. Once the desired stance angle is set, a rider may wish to reposition the highback, whether mounted to a binding or to a boot, so that the highback is generally aligned with the heel-edge of the board. Aligning the highback with the heel-edge of the board enhances force transmission from the rider""s leg to the board as the rider leans against the highback during a heel-side turn. This may be accomplished by mounting the highback for lateral rotation about a substantially vertical axis.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a highback for board control.
In one illustrative embodiment, a highback for use with a component that interfaces with a rider""s leg and is supportable by a gliding board is provided. The highback includes a highback body that is constructed and arranged to be mounted to the component and to be contacted by a rear portion of the rider""s leg. The highback further includes a wing-shaped leg support adjustably extending in a lateral direction from the highback body. The wing-shaped leg support is constructed and arranged to cooperate with the rider""s leg to transmit forces from the rider""s leg to the highback body. The wing-shaped leg support is movable between a plurality of positions relative to the highback body so that the position of the wing-shaped leg support relative to the highback body may be selectively adjusted by the rider.
In another illustrative embodiment, a system for use with a component that interfaces with a rider""s leg and is supportable by a gliding board is provided. The system includes a highback that is constructed and arranged to mount to the component and to be contacted by a rear portion of the rider""s leg. The system also includes a plurality of interchangeable leg supports. Each support is constructed and arranged to be mounted to the highback and to laterally extend from the highback. Each support is constructed and arranged to cooperate with the rider""s leg to transmit forces from the rider""s leg to the highback.
In another illustrative embodiment, a wing-shaped leg support for use with a highback is provided. The highback is used with a component that interfaces with a rider""s leg and is supportable by a gliding board. The wing-shaped leg support includes a body portion and a wing portion extending from the body portion. The wing-shaped leg support is constructed and arranged to cooperate with the rider""s leg to transmit forces from the rider""s leg to the highback. A plurality of attachment points is formed on the body portion that is constructed and arranged to mount the wing-shaped leg support in a plurality of positions relative to the highback so that the position of the wing-shaped leg support relative to the highback may be selectively adjusted by the rider.
In yet another illustrative embodiment, a wing-shaped leg support for use with a highback is provided. The highback is used with a component that interfaces with a rider""s leg and is supportable by a gliding board. The wing-shaped leg support includes a body portion and a wing portion extending from the body portion. The wing-shaped leg support is constructed and arranged to cooperate with the rider""s leg to transmit forces from the rider""s leg to the highback. A reinforced section is formed between the body portion and the wing portion.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide certain advantages. Not all embodiments of the invention share the same advantages and those that do may not share them under all circumstances. This being said, the present invention provides numerous advantages including the noted advantage of providing a rider-adjustable highback.